News • 25 Feb 2021

Supporting young people transition from childhood to adulthood

The transition from childhood to young adult can be challenging, and when people are transitioning out of care at 18 years of age, the challenges can be overwhelming. This is where the Transition Post Care Support Initiative (TPCSI) steps in.

Open Minds is proud to offer this support to young people aged 15-21 years, who need some additional support through the early stages of adulthood. 

As young people are deemed Adults at the age of 18, their foster care arrangements, funding and living situations change almost immediately overnight. 

We all know that without the right support before a person turns 18, the young person can start looking for help in all the wrong places, and in some cases, set negative patterns for the rest of their life. 

Open Minds has been offering this program around the Logan area for many years and is proud to extend this service to the Gold Coast region.

The program is managed by our expert Transition Officers, Jasna and Larry who are so passionate about what they do, that you can hear the pride in their voices the minute they start talking  about ‘their kids’. 

These young people have transitioned through the program and still visit Jasna and Larry years later, sometimes with their own families.

The program works alongside other youth services and provides mental health or disability support if required. Our Transition Officers work with the young people to:

  • assess the needs of each individual
  • identify the person’s strengths
  • work through the person’s goals, and the skills required to reach them
  • work alongside any decision makers in the young person’s life
  • provide support in navigating services needed to reach goals
  • increase community networks to reduce social isolation
  • develop necessary daily living skills to live an independent and fulfilling life
  • and other personal development skills

Transition Officer, Jasna, said: “It is so rewarding to see ‘my kids’ succeed in life and meet the goals that they set for themselves, and to see them become such valued members of their community.

“I love nothing more than having past clients contact me years later to tell me what they have achieved, or to show off their new family additions.

“My main goal is to let all our clients know that there are people that care. No matter what they have gone through, we can always see a bright future for them.” 

The Transition Post Care Support Initiative is available in the Logan City and Gold Coast areas and has capacity.

For more information visit https://www.openminds.org.au/services/tpcsi or call our referrals team on 1300 673 664 or contact Jasna or Larry:

Jasna Josipovic
Transitions Officer
Open Minds
p: 0418 213 942
e: [email protected]

Larry Tapusoa
Transition Officer
Open Minds
p: 07 3158 4111 | m: 0423 070 614
e: [email protected]

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